


Apples to Oranges

by Adventures_in_Writing



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: M/M, Maineboose, rarepair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 10:05:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4096873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adventures_in_Writing/pseuds/Adventures_in_Writing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For all their differences, there is one thing they share in common: Strength. That’s how they met, you know. A battle of strength. I’m pretty sure that’s the moment Maine fell in love. Looking back on it, I don’t think he or anyone else knew it at the time though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Apples to Oranges

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt/request I received over on Tumblr for some Caboose/Maine because there isn't much of it around. Can be interpreted as platonic or romantic. Written in first person (which I don't do too often) from Wash’s perspective.

* * *

They’re apples to oranges. Chalk and cheese. Night and day. Where Maine is big and bulky, Caboose is tall and lean. Where Maine is silent and reserved, Caboose is loud and exuberant. Where Caboose’s enthusiasm for anything grates on most people’s nerves, it makes Maine smile. Where most people take offence at Maine’s silence, Caboose likes having someone who will listen. Maine likes looking after people and big things don’t scare Caboose.

They’re complete opposites and looking at them you’d think they make a very unlikely pair. Somehow, surprisingly, it works.

I should know, I’ve been friends with Maine for years, and I know Caboose pretty well too and I was just lucky enough to see things unfold.

For all their differences, there is one thing they share in common: Strength. That’s how they met, you know. A battle of strength. When Maine lost that arm wrestling challenge, I’m pretty sure that’s the moment he fell in love. Looking back on it, I don’t think he or anyone else knew it at the time though. Caboose beating Maine in arm wrestles gave Main a reason to keep seeing Caboose. He’d tell me that it was because he needed to get stronger, and the only way to get stronger was to beat the person who was stronger than him.

I had said that if Maine wanted to see Caboose he could just come over. After all, I shared a place with Caboose and Tucker and I happened to be friends with them both. I’d start inviting Maine over because I knew he liked seeing Caboose. I can’t blame him. Caboose is a great guy to just spend the day with. He’s so unpredictable it keeps life interesting, even if he can be exasperating at times.

It took things a while to settle. I mean, growing a friendship takes time. Growing something more than friendship takes even longer, but over time there were little changes. Things like Maine starting to use Caboose’s first name name and Caboose calling Maine ‘Maine’ and not Agent Massachusetts. There were less and less arm wrestle challenges and less and less coursework to help Caboose with.

I think I really noticed it during Friday Movie Nights with the guys. I mean, we all had our partners, so maybe that’s why Caboose started leaning into Maine’s shoulder during the horror movies, or excitedly pointing out giant explosions with a ‘Wow! Did you see that?!’. At some point it just became natural for Caboose to sit by Maine, nice and close, and Maine would wrap an arm around his waist and they’d sit there comfortably together. In winter they’d snuggle up under a blanket together, Caboose sitting on Maine’s lap.

Soon Maine was just visiting the place for no particular reason and soon he was staying over on nights that they didn’t have early classes.

Tucker had done the usual ‘bow chika bow wow’ thing, but Caboose and Maine weren’t doing anything like that.

How do I know?

I caught them once.

They’d built a fort out of sheets and pillows and Maine was quietly reading Caboose a story. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Maine use so many words at once. The stuffed animals that Caboose insisted on buying for Maine were all over the place, one tucked into the crook of Caboose’s arm.

It’s cute, if I can say that about the two biggest, strongest guys I know. They still have their story nights. Maine sometimes asks me for books to read that Caboose might like. Sometime’s on their sleepover’s they cook together in the kitchen, much to my dismay, because Caboose is a disaster, even if Maine is there for fire prevention there are still some pretty interesting stories to tell.

Before they’d met each other, I was a little worried for them both. They’re the kind of people who can be easily misunderstood or easily taken advantage of. So when I see them, curled up on the lounge sleeping peacefully together with a movie playing on the TV in the background, or when I can hear Caboose’s happy laughter floating through the room from the kitchen, I smile. I smile because I know they’re happy just being together, and that makes me happy too.


End file.
